Online systems, platforms, and services, such as social networks, online communities, and communication platforms, which enable online and networked interactions between users and activities of the users, typically represent a registered user by a profile defining the user's name and image. The online system typically allows other registered users of the online system as well as unregistered public viewers exploring the online system to access the profiles and view the respective details. Yet, profiles are generally presented as a kind of register or phone book consisting of static data, and typically do not comprise any information of the user that reflects the current behavior, mood, status, and/or activities of the user.
Providing detailed data to viewers or other users may even be undesirable since sensitive data may be retrieved by a large group of viewers without any control by the owner of the personal data. Thus, a user of an online system may withhold details regarding the user's identity as a precaution. However, limited and static data in user profiles may decrease the user experience and acceptance of the online platform, since the level of communication and interaction is limited.
A higher level of communication between users may, for example, be achieved by a chat, such as a video chat session between two communication parties. Each participant may directly communicate with others and may receive an immediate visual and audio feedback related to, for example, facial expressions, gestures, etc. Yet, video chats are typically established between specific parties, for example, after one party has retrieved the contact information and started the chat session using the contact information. Thus, video chats are explicitly established between the communication parties and therefore generally unsuitable to represent a live update of a user of an online system to other users of the online system.